Divorce
by Yazzy
Summary: When Rei finds out that Kai is having trouble with his Stepfather, he steps in and tries to help, but will he be able to? Yaoi, KaiRei.
1. Chapter 1

Hmm, well here's the beginning of another fic. This one's quite short, but I took the basic idea from real life, so it's quite important to me. My soon-to-be-ex-stepdad is being a pain at the moment so I decided to inflict a similar one on Kai. And of course, to step up the angst I made him a hell of a lot worse and a bit of a psycho. So, here you go!

* * *

"Now I want to look at the different kinds of family that exist in the world today."

Rei sighed, watching his teacher scribbling on the whiteboard with very little enthusiasm. He'd decided about six months into a year long course that sociology was NOT his thing. He was sure that it was a very interesting subject, but he also knew that his teacher was the most boring person and the planet and racist to boot.

That was the reason why the back row of the class was the 'foreign' row. Jun-Mei at the end, then Rei himself, who were both Chinese, then Kai Hiwatari the Russian, and Michael Parker who was American and enjoyed nothing more than disrupting the class. That was why he'd been moved to the back in the first place. It had worked- no matter how many times Michael tried to talk to Kai the stoic Russian ignored him.

He was ignoring him right at that second, scribbling notes in Russian about what the teacher was discussing, which seemed to be nuclear families... With another sigh, Rei dragged his attention back to family varieties. "There is also the privatised nuclear family where the individuals have little contact with wider society. We must also consider reconstituted families, made up of divorcees, possibly with children-"

No sooner were the words in the air than there was a thud. People turned, then turned back to hear about extended families. Rei, however, was watching Kai. The thud hadn't been someone messing around...it had been the sound of Kai's heavy pen dropping from his hand, a hand that was now shaking in mid air. Rei was about to ask what the matter was when Kai stood up.

"May I... May I be excused?" He asked, voice rough. The teacher waved him away and he practically ran out of the classroom. Even at that Rei knew there was something wrong, and it was even clearer when Kai didn't return, even after twenty minutes. But...reconstituted families...maybe Kai's parents were getting divorced? Maybe he was getting a stepmother? A stepfather?

When the teacher finally realised that Kai was still not back, Rei volunteered to go and look for him. With another wave of his hand the teacher dismissed Rei. Rei promptly headed for the toilets, with a certainty bordering clairvoyance. He hurried through the beige corridors, still wondering what was bothering Kai. Then he started wondering why he cared...it wasn't like Kai was ever friendly at all, it wasn't like he actually -spoke- to anyone, except to make sarcastic remarks about people...still...

Rei pushed open the door of the toilets and tried to ignore the disgusting smell rolling out from inside. "Kai? Are you in here?" Silence. And then...a shuffle. As if someone was moving their feet quickly. "I can hear you, you know." Silence again, and then...the door of the cubicle swung open. Rei walked over and looked inside, to find Kai sitting there with his legs drawn up to his chest, looking depressed. "I suppose he wants me to go back to class?" Asked the Russian, sighing.

"Well technically he only sent me to find you..." Rei moved closer, concerned. "You look kind of upset...are you okay?"

"Yeah."

"Only...you seemed to kind of freak out when he was talking about divorced families..."

"Yeah. Well." Rei smiled reassuringly.

"Stepparents aren't so bad, you know. My stepfather's nice."

"That's not the problem. I have a stepdad. I have had for years...only..." Kai sniffed. "They're divorcing. My mum and my stepdad."

"Oh. That...must be sort of hard...why are they-?"

Kai shook his head, wiping away his tears with the sleeve of his blue jumper. "My stepbrother and sister...they're younger than me...but their mother says she doesn't want to look after them any more...so she's given them to my stepdad. But my mother has a full-time job...my grandmother's got senile dementia and she has to look after her as well...and she can't look after little kids..."

Rei bit his lip. "Sucks, huh?" Kai nodded, sniffing again. Rei could tell he was fighting not to cry, so he hugged him, feeling Kai burst into tears pressed up against his chest. It was strange to think someone as cold and horrible as Kai Hiwatari could be hiding such problems... "It's okay...it'll all work out fine, you'll see."

"No it isn't...he left for a few days to see if she'll change her mind but she just can't do it...it's killing her...she loves him so much and it's just...it's just not fair..." Kai sniffed again, pulling away. "Huh...it's not like you care."

"Why do you think that?" Asked Rei, puzzled.

"I'm sorry, have you been deaf for the last two years? You know, all that time I spent laughing at you because you're gay? Which, for the record, is still sick."

"I know it's hard for you right now. You can insult me if you want to. But it's not really sick. I just feel more comfortable with men than with women. It's not a thing I chose, that's just how it is. Like you can't choose what your mum and stepdad do."

"Yeah. Well." Rei put his arms back around Kai and rested his chin on top of the Russian's head.

"So is he coming back or is that it? Is it over between them?"

"I don't know...he might want money...or...or...he married her a while back, he could make her sell the house and take half...or...or he could...he could take stuff..."

"Hey, calm down. It'll all turn out okay. If they haven't been married more than a couple of years he can't ask for half the house, so don't worry about it. What about your stepbrother and sister? Won't it be nice not to put up with them?"

"But I never had to! We only saw them for a couple of nights a week! I hardly ever spoke to them!" Kai snivelled. Rei stroked the Russian's hair gently. "I keep expecting him to turn up on a night and I get so worried..."

"What, was he...violent?"

"No...but...but I keep thinking about horrible things happening and I...I don't want to be at school, I want to be at home with her to make sure she's okay...I mean...she's so depressed and I...I think she might kill herself...or if he comes back and she's alone he might force her to take on his kids and she'd go mad! It's too much work for one person to do!"

Rei dug in his pocket for a second then pulled out his mobile, holding it out to Kai. "If you're worried about her, call her."

"You...wouldn't mind?" Rei shook his head so Kai dialled home with nimble fingers. He waited a couple of seconds, then started talking fast in Russian, sounding concerned. Rei leaned against the wall of the cubicle and waited for him to finish.

Before he knew it, Kai was handing him back the phone, looking marginally more happier. "She's got one of her friends round there with her."

"See? She'll be okay."

"She says she's been divorced once before, so she can do it again..." Rei nodded, smiling.

"Do you want to go back to class or shall I say you felt ill and you've gone home?"

"Would you?"

"Well...yeah. Do you want my mobile number in case you need to talk to someone?" Kai blinked.

"Have you forgotten how badly I treated you?" Rei hugged him again, shaking his head.

"I don't hold any grudges. At least you treat -everyone- badly, it wasn't like it was only me you were horrible to. Anyway, it's true. I do like men. I am gay. To be honest, when you started insulting me I'd just think about how nice-looking you were. Are still, actually."

Kai sniffed. "Yeah well. Don't get any ideas."

"I'll get plenty of ideas...I just won't act on them." Rei produced a pen from his pocket and started writing a number down onto Kai's arm in purple ink. "Give me a ring later if you get worried, okay?"

"But..."

"Hey, I don't care what you think of my sexual preferences, but are they all I am? I can still be your friend. It isn't like I won't be in, after all. I get on well enough with people in school but...I'm Chinese. I don't fit in. That's what they invented the back row for, people like me and you." Rei snorted. "Gay and Chinese, what chance do I have of a social life in a homophobic, racist town like this?"

"But I..." Rei put a finger to Kai's lips to shut him up.

"If you get worried and you want to talk, give me a ring. I'm not making you, I'm not even asking you to. I know you don't agree with me, and you might not like what I do, but a person is always better than your own paranoid thoughts. Unless they're an evil dictator. Which surprisingly I'm not. I don't care what you called me before. Just...if you need someone...I'm here."

"Thank you." Said Kai quietly, standing up. He towered a good few inches above Rei, but the Chinese boy didn't seem to mind. Kai rolled down his sleeves and shrugged. "I'll just go back to class. I'll pretend I felt ill."

Rei smiled up at Kai and and took a chance, winding his arms around the Russian's waist and hugging him tightly. Kai blinked a couple of times then slipped his arms around Rei, holding the Chinese boy against his chest. He let go after a few seconds, sighing. "We should...go back to class."

"Yeah. But don't forget. If you need someone-"

"Just phone. I know."

* * *

Rei jumped as his mother opened the door of his bedroom. "Yes mother?"

Xiang Kon surveyed her son, who was sprawled on the floor with a book. "Your room is a mess, Rei. And there is someone on the phone for you. He says his name is...Kay? Ki?"

"Kai."

"Yes, that's it." Xiang held out the portable phone and Rei took it. Xiang walked out, shutting the door behind her.

"Kai?"

"You said to phone if I got worried...and...he's phoned her mobile and they're talking...but my mother keeps shouting and I...I can't really hear properly but she sounds so angry..." Rei immediately caught the undertone of fear in Kai's voice and felt his heart go out to the poor Russian. It wasn't easy bringing together two families, Rei knew from experience, and he was only glad that his stepfather hadn't already had children before he'd come to live with them. But Kai...

"It's okay, Kai."

"But it's not! He could be saying anything to her! He'll...he'll use emotional blackmail or something and she'll crack!"

"Kai, calm down, okay? If you really want to know what she's saying, lie on the floor and put one ear to it. You'll be able to hear her."

There was a silence from the other end of the phone, then Kai was back. "She just told him to stop being so ridiculous..."

"See? Your mother'll be fine, Kai. Are you okay, though?"

"No. Not really. No-one's telling me anything, and I don't know what's happening..."

"I know. My parents never told me anything. Mind you, I was only about seven at the time..."

"Yeah. Well. I'm not, am I?"

Rei smiled. "Hey, calm down. It's not so bad. He could have murdered her or something.." There was a muffled sob from the other end of the phone. "Kai? Oh come on, don't cry... I...I didn't mean it like that...nothing's going to happen to your mother..."

"But...what if-?" Rei sighed, looking over at the clock. It was only about six o clock...

"Kai, look, do you want me to come over? I don't want to sit here at the other end of the phone while you cry..."

"B-But I..." Kai sniffed. "Why do you want to help me so much? I've never been nice to you!"

"Well...just because you don't want to be nice to me doesn't mean I should carry it on, does it? Where do you live?"

"Eighteen Windtree Drive..."

"I'll be round in a few minutes, right?" Kai sniffed.

"Yeah."

* * *

Kai sat there on his bed waiting to hear a knock at the door. What he wasn't expecting was a knock at the window. Puzzled, he got up and opened the curtains, only to see Rei balanced precariously on his windowsill outside. He immediately threw open the window beside it and pulled Rei inside, lowering him to the floor carefully. "What were you doing up there?"

"Well I didn't think your mother would particularly want to be bothered..."

"So you climbed the side of the house? Are you mad? You could have fallen off, or-" Rei put a finger over Kai's lips as he had that morning.

"Shh. I'm supposed to worry about you, not the other way round. I'm good at climbing. Anyway, how are you?" Rei's finger traced up to Kai's red-rimmed eyes.

"I'm scared..." Rei sighed and folded his arms around Kai's waist.

"You know, if only you were gay I could kiss it all better..." Kai pulled a face.

"I honestly don't know what you like about men. At least...not like that..." Rei giggled and pulled Kai down to sit on the bed, settling himself on the pillow with his knees to his chest and his hands clasped loosely around them. "Why shouldn't I like men? What's so strange about it?"

"Because...men and men...just shouldn't. A man and a woman...fits."

"What, you mean like a stick in a hole?" Kai blushed and nodded. "So what the hell do you call anal sex then?" Kai blushed furiously and Rei laughed. "Seriously, though...I don't think there's that much of a difference. I just happen to like flat chests...and penises." He waved a hand, trying to find more ways to describe how he felt. "I tried girls, a long time ago, and I never...it was never...enough. And then I got into guys and I...realised that that was what I'd wanted all along..."

"You like having a penis up your backside?" Kai asked disbelievingly. Rei howled with laughter.

"I'm still a virgin, Kai, so not yet. It's not that bad, I'm sure, and even if it is...well, hey. I still don't think you can judge if you haven't tried both."

Kai laid back, head hanging over the edge of the bed. "What do your parents think of it?"

"I've never told them. My father's the epitome of Chinese tradition, he'd have a blue fit if I told him I like men." Kai was about to reply when there was a furious screech from downstairs and the sound of something being hurled at a wall. Kai jumped up and went to his door, calling downstairs in Russian. Kai's mother answered, and Rei could hear her distress even without understanding what she was saying.

Kai cast a glance back at Rei and then went out, hurrying down the stairs. Rei sneaked out and looked over the bannister. Kai was standing in his line of sight, talking reassuringly, then as Rei watched a beautiful blonde woman came forwards, hugging Kai tightly. Not wanting to intrude, Rei snuck back into Kai's bedroom, then realised that the Russian would probably be comforting his mother for quite a while.

Rei dug in his pockets for a pen and a piece of paper and wrote Kai a quick note saying that he'd gone home, and not to worry too much because everything would turn out alright. Then of course he had to climb back out of the window...

* * *

Next Chapter: Kai's stepfather comes back, and Rei has to do some quick thinking.

R&R please!


	2. Chapter 2

Wow, I was so happy about all those reviews people left! I'd reply, but after that new rule I'm not allowed to, so fmoo. However, I will say: What I'm putting Kai through is my exaggerated and angst-ified version (plus yaoi-licious goodness) of what is happening to me. Thanks for all the hugs, but I don't really need comfort at the moment because I'm too busy being scornful of my soon-to-be-ex-stepdad and his desire to take the -lampshade- from one of the bedrooms. He's so petty...but he's not quite as psychotic as Kai's stepdad. Nowhere near, considering he has bad asthma and probably couldn't garner enough energy to lift a hand to punch anyone anyway...

* * *

"About last night..." Kai said awkwardly. "I'm...sorry." Rei smiled brightly. Almost too brightly, seeing as it was a Monday morning and they were in sociology again.

"It's okay."

"Only...she was upset because he said he's coming round tonight to talk to her...and I'm worried in case he does something..."

"I said it was okay. She's really pretty, your mother, isn't she?"

"Yeah." There was an awkward silence in which Rei laid a hand over one of Kai's.

"Look, it'll all be fine."

Kai nodded, but Rei could see that he didn't really believe it was so. They carried on with their notes for a few more minutes, than Kai stopped writing suddenly. "Rei...will you...will you come round again tonight?"

"Yeah, sure." Kai was about to reply when their teacher rounded on them.

"Kon, Hiwatari! Shut up!"

So Kai and Rei got back on with their work in silence.

* * *

That night Kai was sitting on his bed, nerves twanging with worry. He couldn't explain it but he had an overwhelming fear that something would happen... A knock at the window made him jump as if he'd been shot, but it was only Rei, teetering on the windowsill again. Kai got up and opened the window beside Rei, letting the Chinese boy jump inside. Strange thing was that while he was jumping, Kai's arms seemed to rise, capturing Rei in an strong embrace.

"Kai?" Rei looked up at him enquiringly, and Kai blinked.

"Um...I...sorry." He let go of Rei abruptly and closed the window, leaving the dark-haired boy very puzzled.

"So...is he back yet?"

"No. Not yet. But he will be. He said he'd be here at seven, and it's ten to now..."

Rei shook his head, taking hold of Kai's hand. "It'll be okay, Kai." Kai looked down at their entwined fingers, feeling his pulse start to race.

"I don't think it will be. You never knew him. He gets angry easily..."

"Well we're here. I'm sure if something happens we'll be able to think of something."

"Why 'we'? Why do you want to help? You're not my family...you hardly know me but-"

Rei clapped his free hand over Kai's mouth. "Stop making me shut you up like this. You don't half talk rubbish sometimes, Kai. I'm helping you because I want to, and because I want to know you better." Kai's free hand rose to Rei's, short, heavy fingers over Rei's delicate thin ones. There went his heartbeat again. Skittering like a frightened mouse. Rei pulled his hand away and smiled, and Kai's heart suddenly felt like it would leap out of his chest. Was it because Rei was touching him? But...he wasn't...he couldn't be..."Gay..."

Rei looked slightly offended at that. "I thought you'd gotten over calling me names, Kai." Kai found himself unable to reply, only licked his dry lips then leaned forwards and pulled Rei into his arms, crushing the Chinese boy against himself. "I...I didn't mean...I wasn't...it's just..." Rei tugged himself out of Kai's grip a little, reaching up and cupping Kai's cheek. Kai's heart went into overdrive again. Feeling it, Rei smiled. Mistaking what it meant, he spoke.

"Hey. Calm down. I'm only touching you. I'm not going to jump y-mph!" Before Rei could finish his sentence Kai kissed him, a clumsy inexperienced kiss that left them both reeling. Rei looked up at Kai with his mouth open, shocked beyond belief, while Kai stared back, wondering why he'd done that. And then it seemed clear...

"I think you've turned me..." He said quietly, voice low and husky. Rei laughed softly and kissed him again, a much more sophisticated kiss that made Kai moan with pleasure as their tongues danced and their hands wandered. Kai found himself automatically pulling Rei towards the wall, pinning him there and pressing against him shamelessly, wantonly. He could feel himself starting to get aroused by the contact, and the tell-tale bulge pressing against his thigh proved that Rei felt exactly the same.

It was only the sound of a door slamming that made them stop. "He's back..." Kai's blood ran cold and he ran out onto the landing. Rei joined him, listening as two people he couldn't even see argued back and forth in Russian. Kai looked increasingly and increasingly distressed, and it made Rei wonder what exactly was being said down there...

Eventually, Kai shot to his feet, screaming the only word of Russian Rei knew- "Niet!" Kai ran down the stairs and suddenly the argument moved into the sliver of hallway Rei could see. A fat, angry looking man with dark hair, Kai's mother, and now Kai, who stood in front of his mother protectively. Rei had to bite back a scream as the man launched himself forwards and hit Kai full in the face, sending the younger Russian sprawling, dazed. Then of course the fat man moved over to Kai's mother, pinning her up against the banister.

Rei suddenly realised that if he didn't do something, everything would be ruined. He looked around for something to help him, or to give him a hint. He found his inspiration in a discarded cup on the landing. Taking careful aim, he threw the china mug as hard as he could, so that it smashed off the back of the fat man's head, making him grunt with pain and turn, looking for the culprit. Rei ducked.

The fat man must obviously have dismissed it as an odd cup falling off the rail or something, so Rei looked around for something else to throw. He heard a rip...the sound of clothes being torn? He had to do something quickly then. He snuck back into Kai's room and picked up a hockey ball that was lying around, then hurled that down as well. This time, Kai's mother saw him, and looked at him strangely. Rei put a finger to his lips then ducked again.

There was a harsh snarl in Russian and then someone started to climb the stairs. Rei panicked slightly, standing up and facing Kai's stepfather as he climbed, leaning over the bannister opposite. "Leave them alone!" He said nastily. "Or you won't like what happens." The fat man kept climbing, so Rei had to think of a way of acting on his bluff. He looked at the top of the stairs, where Kai's stepdad would meet him, and grinned. There were ornate ends to the bannisters...two carved owls that Rei grabbed, swung himself round on...

And kicked Kai's stepdad in the face, knocking him off balance so that he fell back down the stairs cursing loudly. Rei leapt down after him, making sure he wasn't going to be getting up. "Um. I think you should ring the police or something." Kai's mother blinked, then picked up the nearby phone, while Rei knelt down next to Kai. He was lying slumped against the pale wall, head lolling. Rei patted his hand gently. "Kai?"

"Unh?"

"Kai, wake up..."

Kai blinked a few times then opened his eyes. Worry crossed his face and he tried to stand up, but Rei pushed him back. "It's okay, he's unconscious. He didn't hurt your mother. Only your hockey ball's all covered in blood from his nose and I smashed that mug that was on the landing...and I think I scratched the varnish on your stairs...I'm sorry...I couldn't think of anything else to do..."

Kai shook his head, then pulled Rei into his arms. Rei leaned his head on Kai's shoulder as the Russian whispered into his ear. "Thank you. Thank you so much..." Another hand touched Rei's shoulder.

"I have to add my thanks, whoever you are."

"He's my boyfriend, mother...and he's called Rei..."

"Then thank you, Rei. I'm Dimitra." As Rei snuggled up to Kai, Dimitra went out to meet the police officers who were storming the front street.

"So I'm your boyfriend now? When did I agree to that?"

"Hn." Kai sounded disappointed, so Rei looked up, smiling.

"I'm only joking. I want to be your boyfriend. I have for a while."

Kai smiled back, then kissed Rei on the cheek, reaching up a hand to stroke his hair. "Thank you."

"You're welcome. You're more than welcome. Come on, the police'll need to talk to you." With a smile, Rei helped Kai to his feet. And that was it.

* * *

"Now I want to look at the effects of tourism on the people of South Africa..."

Rei sighed, watching his teacher scribbling on the whiteboard with very little enthusiasm. He'd long ago decided he hated sociology. However...there were some perks to being on the foreigner's row and being ignored...

Kai was sitting next to him, scribbling what Rei took to be notes. A few seconds later, Kai passed him the piece of paper he'd been writing on. 'If I go and skive in the toilets again, will you come and find me?' It read. Rei raised his eyebrows and then wrote back. 'If I must.' Kai smiled, standing up.

"May I be excused?"

* * *

Fin

There, the end. I know it's short, but I felt more chapters would only spoil it, so there won't be any more.

R&R please!


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